I might not be willing to bet on the World Series, but I’d be willing to bet there are certain items that go with you on every trip. I certainly have some on my “always take” list, and their usefulness often spills over to when I’m home. I find myself using them around town, too. I’m talking about my packable backpack. I’ve been using the same one from Hikpro for quite some time now, and no matter what color I buy it in, I like it. It’s light and had held up well. Now I need a new one and something occurred to me.
Why should I automatically get the same one when there might even be better ones out there? And why not ask other travelers which packable backpacks they recommend? Traveling puts a lot of wear and tear on MY packable backpack. I’m quite certain other travelers who have road tested theirs and seen the packable backpacks wear well could offer me some suggestions. I’d like to try a few to see if my usual one is indeed the best for me. The only criteria I have is that it must be packable (folds into itself). Other than that, I’m open to suggestions. If you have a packable backpack you like enough to get again, please let me know. Much appreciated!!
Hi Shelli,
I use this one which i fabulous. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00Q9SH726/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Very lightweight and folds down so small you can almost put it in your pocket. It surprisingly holds alot of stuff and you can hold 2 water bottles as well and secures them well. Very affordable as well. I’ve used it all around the world and been really great.
Thanks Earl, This one looks just like the one I use. Could it be that this pack is being made and then labeled by different companies? Strange but true. I’ll take a closer look and see if there are any differences.
Hmm. I’m not sure but I think Outlander has been around a while. It has 7,300+ positive reviews on Amazon. I haven’t found anything at all to complain about. The best thing is how compact it is when you fold it up and into the pouch so you can put it in your pocket or purse.
It’s so lightweight so at first I worried how sturdy it would be but I’ve routinely used it with heavy stuff in groceries when I forget a grocery bag in Europe and South America and so far stood up. It’s great.
OK, thanks for checking back in to let me know. Holding up to heavy groceries is a must!
I have been using a great one from Matador which packs small is lightweight and durable. Best of all, it is waterproof which was a big criteria for me when I went looking to get a packable backpack.
Matador offers different versions and sizes, but they all pack small.
https://matadorup.com/collections/matador-products/products/matador-dl16-backpack?variant=8116303396977
Thanks for the recommendation, Frank. I’ll look more closely at this one. It’s a bit more than I typically spend, but the waterproof aspect is valuable and could sway me.
My first was this: https://www.rei.com/product/828841/eagle-creek-packable-daypack
Packs VERY small and light but no place for a water bottle.
I upgraded to this: https://www.amazon.com/Eddie-Bauer-Unisex-Adult-Stowaway-Packable/dp/B073W8WJLT
Packs somewhat larger than the Eagle Creek but has water bottle pockets and a couple of extra pockets. EddieBauer.com recently had it on sale for less than $10.
Eagle Creek and Eddie, definitely two companies to check out for this kind of pack. I’ve seen the EC one, I think, and do prefer a water bottle area. Will definitely look at the EB one. Thanks so much, rabmsn.
I bought the 20L version of the one Earl suggested and just returned from a month trip around the world. It was a great size for a day pack and had lots of pockets to separate essentials. Couldn’t have been happier.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0092ECRLA/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&th=1&psc=1
Thanks Sean for another vote for this one. I’ll take a look at it.
With good success, I’ve been using the previous version of the Tortuga Daypack as listed here: https://www.tortugabackpacks.com/collections/travel-daypacks. I bought it in early 2015 when they only had one style, which equates to the current “Setout Daypack”. One advantage I see from the others – the attached chest strap.
This addition really helps distribute the weight and keeps my shoulders from getting over-tired, which can be meaningful on those full-day adventures. BTW, I also use the original carry-on size Tortuga backpack (currently the “Outbreaker Backpack”) for some short hops. Cheers.
Cheers, Joe, and thanks for the recommendation. The chest strap can be awkward for a woman. I also prefer to have a place for a water bottle on the side of the pack. From the photos I think that’s missing. I’m sure there are others this would work well for though, so thanks for adding it to our list.
Right. It does seem like they’ve made improvements since the first version, though, as the chest strap is now removable (although in V1 it is pretty high up the body – it keeps me from continually hooking my thumbs under the main shoulder straps). They do list water bottle pockets. I think it’s like V1, where they’re black on black mesh on the sides – they just don’t show a good picture with a water bottle in place! In any event, all options here appear very similar.
Thanks for the added info, Joe. I’ll have to see who carries Tortuga and take a closer look. Good point, all of these will have some similarities.
For those who don’t require a water bottle spot (I’ve never had good luck with the bottles staying in anyway, for some reason) the Knalla backpack from Ikea has been surprisingly great. I bought it for $3.99 and it’s held up to stuffing, heavy items, etc.
It’s relatively comfortable and holds a ton, not too mention that even fully packed it fits easily in every “personal item” sizer I’ve tried. I’ve been considering using it for our suitcases going forward. I only wish it had just a couple more pockets.
At least good for an additional bag.
https://m.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/art/90330483/?bvroute=Review%2F1032391723&bvrrp=Main_Site-en_US/reviews/product/2/ART-90330483.htm
Ikea, interesting choice. Thanks for adding this one to the list, Audrey. I am partial to the outside water bottle spot, though.
Yeah, I’ve found I typically always want to have a bottled water with me. Especially when hiking or traveling in foreign countries where water quality might not be good. The good thing about the backpack that I mentioned, is both of them have an elastic cord over the water bottle holder so it’s impossible for it to fall out.
Elastic cord? That I’ve not seen. That could make it the winner :)
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